Mosaic Border Cardigan

Mosaic Border Cardigan by Sian Brown

What is Being Made

The Mosaic Border Cardigan is a knitted cardigan featuring a distinctive mosaic border pattern. This garment is designed by independent knitting designer Sian Brown and is available in six sizes to fit bust measurements from 82cm to 107cm (32in to 42in). The finished cardigan offers a sophisticated layering piece with a classic cardigan silhouette, including long sleeves measuring 46cm and a length to shoulder ranging from 53cm to 58cm depending on size.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several key techniques to construct the cardigan. The garment is worked in one piece from the back and fronts to the armholes, which streamlines construction and minimizes seaming. The pattern incorporates mosaic border patterning, a colorwork technique that creates visual interest without the complexity of traditional stranded colorwork. The cardigan is worked flat in rows using circular needles, allowing for flexibility in managing stitch counts across the various sizes. The pattern includes shaping techniques necessary for creating fitted armholes and properly proportioned sleeves.

Stitches Used

The Mosaic Border Cardigan utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with mosaic-specific techniques. The foundation includes stockinette stitch (st st), which provides a smooth, classic fabric base. The mosaic border pattern employs yarn forward and yarn to back maneuvers (ytf and ytb) combined with slip stitches (sl) to create the characteristic mosaic effect. The pattern begins with garter stitch edging (knit 3 rows), which provides a neat, finished edge and prevents curling. The border pattern repeat uses a combination of knit stitches and slipped stitches in alternating colors to build the mosaic design without requiring simultaneous manipulation of multiple yarn colors.

Materials and Yarn

The Mosaic Border Cardigan is designed to be knitted using DK weight yarn. The pattern specifies Rico Baby Classic DK, a yarn composition of 50% polyamide and 50% acrylic, with a yardage of 165 meters per 50-gram ball. The color palette consists of two colors: Light Grey 031 (A), requiring 5 to 8 balls depending on size, and Turquoise 25 (B), requiring 1 to 2 balls. This yarn choice creates a durable, easy-care fabric suitable for frequent wear.

Needles and Notions

Construction requires three different needle sizes to achieve proper fabric density and structure. The pattern calls for 3.25mm, 3.75mm, and 4mm knitting needles in both straight pairs and circular formats (100cm circular needles in each size). The 3.25mm needles are used for the initial cast-on and garter stitch edge, the 3.75mm needles for the border pattern section, and the 4mm needles for the main stockinette stitch body. One button is required to complete the cardigan closure.

Tension and Sizing

Achieving the correct tension is essential for proper fit. The pattern specifies a tension of 22 stitches and 28 rows to measure 10cm over stockinette stitch using 4mm needles. This tension measurement ensures that the finished cardigan will match the intended dimensions across all six sizes. The sizing range accommodates a wide variety of body measurements, with finished bust measurements ranging from 86cm to 112cm (34in to 44in).